I have lived in Rome since January 2003. It is my home base and where (aside from Mamma Parla’s house) I feel most at home in the world. Some of my favorite places to eat and drink are:
If you are looking for fine dining, check out Glass, All’Oro, and Il Pagliaccio. For upscale traditional Roman cuisine, there’s L’Arcangelo and Roscioli. For upscale modern Italian, Antico Arco is an excellent choice. If you prefer traditional cucina romana at moderate prices, Da Danilo and Flavio al Velavevodetto are your best bets. For Neapolitan style pizza, check out Tonda and La Gatta Mangiona, while Da Remo serves the quintessential thin crust Roman pie. For gelato, Il Gelato di Claudio Torce’, Gori, and Fatamorgana cannot be beat. I also really like Neve di Latte. My favorite wine bars are Il Goccetto, Remigio, and La Barrique. For beer, I love Ma Che Siete Venuti a Fa, Open Baladin, The Blind Pig, and Brasserie 4:20. Don’t miss pizza by the slice at Pizzarium or pizza bianca at Forno Roscioli.
There are more Rome posts on Parla Food than I know what do do with and sifting through them can be a nightmare, so I selected a few essentials for making the most of your meals in the city:
- It’s Kosher in Rome’s Ghetto
The Layover, Parla Food Edition
Eating and Drinking in Monteverde
Eating and Drinking in Pigneto
My Guides to Gelato in Rome, including a delightful map and a Foodspotting guide!
Where to Eat in Rome on Christmas and New Year’s
And be sure to check out my Rome Dining App available in the App Store and Android Market.
And here are my hotel recommendations.
July 24th, 2011 at 6:26 pm
Hi Katie & friends…My family is staying in Rome for one night next week before we head to our home in Abruzzo. Would like one memorable Roman meal, but we have 3 little ones in tow. They are great eaters and know how to behave in restaurants, but finding family-friendly trattorie is always key. Since we only have one night, it doesn’t make sense to veer too far off the beaten path…somewhere within walking distance to Piazza Navona/Campo dei Fiori would be best. Is La Campana appropriate for kids? Or perhaps we should stick to a pizzeria and fritti? If so, perhaps Montecarlo? We want someplace where we can eat well and feel comfortable bringing our kids. Many thanks.
July 24th, 2011 at 9:13 pm
Hi Michelle, La Campana would be perfect. The place is fine for families, the food is food, and there is AC. Montecarlo is pretty awful lately, so I would discourage that one. If you feel like venturing out of the Navona/Campo area, I would recommend L’Asino D’Oro (Monti) or Flavio al Velavevodetto (Testaccio), both of which are good with kids and have outdoor and indoor seating.
July 24th, 2011 at 11:41 pm
Thanks, Katie! I think I need to follow my instincts on this one and eat near the monuments we’ll be visiting. We’re getting in that morning so expect my kids to be exhausted. I will certainly hold on to your recommendations for future visits! Does La Campana require advance reservations? Grazie mille.
July 24th, 2011 at 11:51 pm
They are not absolutely necessary, but it’s not a bad idea to call and make sure they are open…that is if you are going August. Is the “next week” you mention this one coming or the one following?
July 25th, 2011 at 5:14 pm
Thanks again. Since there seem to be limited open and tasty options in the Navona area, we will probably change course and take a taxi to eat after seeing the sites. You gave me a few suggestions on CH…if there are any others, I’m open! I know August (looking for the 4th) is tough. Also, what are your thoughts on Da Luigi? Many thanks again!
July 25th, 2011 at 6:28 pm
Hi Katie…Changing course (again!) and have decided to check out the Colosseum in the early evening and have dinner in that general vicinity so any of L’Asino d’Oro or Li Rioni or Alle Carrette should work. If you have any other suggestions, I’d welcome them. If not, I think we’re good! Grazie mille!
July 25th, 2011 at 6:37 pm
Great! Let me know how it turns out, both here and on CH! And if plans change and you do want to be in the historical center for dinner, check out Osteria della Quercia. Enjoy!
July 25th, 2011 at 6:40 pm
Will do and if you ever need some food recs in Abruzzo (particularly the area near the Parco Nazionale delle Majella), please let me know!
July 25th, 2011 at 7:09 pm
One final question for you, Katie. Before I started this lengthy discussion, I emailed Roscioli and they offered me a 7:30 table. I emailed back my concerns about it not being appropriate for kids and Alessandro just responded, “children are welcome in our restaurant. Roscioli is easy and unformal.” Will we feel self-conscious with the kids (despite my burning desire to try their Carbonara!!!)? Am I best off at one of the places in Monti?
July 25th, 2011 at 7:15 pm
If you can get a 730 res at Roscioli, ask for a table downstairs where you will feel a bit less conspicuous. I see kids there from time to time and it’s no big deal. Do your kids mind dining for 90 minutes, more or less? Will they eat cacio e pepe or amatriciana? if the answer to these questions is yes, go for it!
August 15th, 2011 at 12:03 am
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September 3rd, 2011 at 9:54 pm
Hi Katie- I know that you love Da Danilo, but notice that many diners have been quite displeased with their experiences there. It seems that the complaints are mostly about the service and ambiance, not the food. (I never know quite what to make of restaurant reviews on places like TripAdvisor, but Da Danilo has really taken a beating there). What do you make of this>
September 4th, 2011 at 11:48 am
Hey Seth, Just took a look at the bad reviews from this spring and most of them say the same thing–they wouldn’t cook the steaks well done, server didnt pour the wine, they wouldnt serve salads, service was brusque or aloof. I believe this all happened; no doubt about it. But it’s a trattoria in Rome, what did they expect exactly? I understand that many visitors to Rome expect to be treated as though they are in their own country, but I find this quite arrogant. It is completely routine to be served in such a manner in a trattoria in Rome. I don’t take restaurant reviews on Trip Advisor very seriously for this very reason. Have you been there?
September 4th, 2011 at 9:20 pm
Hi Katie- I agree with you. I was going to try Da Danilo a few nights ago, but stumbled upon Al Duello earlier in the day when taking my son to the toy store nearby. I was charmed by the curb appeal. Talk about serendipity! This place is fabulous– the home made bread sticks, house smoked sea bass, hand made burrata. . .even my panna cotta was garnished with an intense fruit sauce that was simply perfect. The wine list was humbly-priced but excellent. And what put us over the top was the house-made olive oil. Have you been there? It is owned by a husband and wife team and the owner was one of the most warm and charming server I have ever met. This place is a real treasure.
October 25th, 2011 at 9:26 pm
Hello Katie! Thanks for all the great recs. Can’t wait to look them over more. My husband and I definitely want to try Roscioli. We only have a Friday night, Saturday, and Sunday morning in Rome, but are there a few that we must go to? We like authentic
Are prices or crowds much different in November?
November 8th, 2011 at 1:53 pm
Hi Katie – we are going to be in Rome for Christmas – are you going to update your list from last year, whats open?
November 8th, 2011 at 2:31 pm
@eatingRD prices are the same in november and it has been a very busy month crowd-wise so far. thanksgiving will be mad. if you only have a few days, i would suggest da danilo (cacio e pepe, carbonara), l’arcangelo (suppli, gricia, amatriciana), la gatta mangiona (pizza and fried things) and pizzarium (pizza by the slice). also check out la barrique for a glass of wine or two and il gelato for gelato. enjoy!
@Claire Ill be updating the list, tho I would assume the same places will be open. Also, ill be writing a post for the NYT about handling Rome during the holidays. have you signed up for my newsletter? ill include the christmas details there. you can sign up from the homepage. enjoy rome at christmas. it’s magical!
December 10th, 2011 at 6:08 pm
Hi Katie,
I just hand lunch at Da Danielo today. I was a bit take by the service. When we arrived at 2PM, they told us that they will be closing soon. But we were still given a seat because we are okay with a quick meal.
I thought restaurants in Rome will be open from 12-3PM usually. What is the lunch culture in Rome? Do people just eat pasta or will they go through the 3 course meal for lunch? Because of the initial remark from Da Danielo waiter, we limited our order to just the pasta dishes.
When we had lunch at L’Arso D’Oro, their service was much better. They didn’t rush us, and we felt very comfortable to take our time with their pre-fixed 3 course meal, and ordered desert and coffee. It was such a different lunch experience.
December 10th, 2011 at 6:16 pm
Restaurants will seat you until 215 or 230 and it is very strange indeed that they told you they were closing at 2. They usually arent thrilled if you walk in at 215/230 but they will seat and serve you, often stating that you must order everything at the beginning of the meal. L’asino d’oro is a very different place at lunch time. dishes are not cooked to order as they are at da danilo so they wouldnt rush you if you came in late.